Summary of the July 18 Meetings

In the Work Session

Municipal Election

Provo City and Utah County will be working together to administer a vote-by-mail election for the 2017 municipal elections. City Recorder Janene Weiss explained how the vote-by-mail system functions and what the costs are projected to be. Voters are encouraged  to visit vote.utah.gov to verify that they are registered to vote and that their mailing address is listed correctly. Ballots will not be forwarded like other mail. Provo City has information about candidates and the voting process on voteProvo.com. Provo City reviewed in the work meeting and approved in the Council meeting the signing of an interlocal agreement specifying each entity's responsibilities.


Job Creation

The Economic Development Department gave another in a series of presentations to Council. Focusing on job creation in Provo, they started with some demographics comparing Provo to neighboring cities. The comparisons showed that Provo had a lower median household income and higher poverty rate. That influences retailer decisions on where to locate. Provo has over 59,000 jobs, a number which continues to grow and is higher in comparison than the other cities. Provo City works with the Governor's Office of Economic Development to respond to businesses interested in locating in Utah. Although some businesses that had their start in Provo have moved to other cities as they grow, many of the employees continue to live here despite the move. Future Economic Development presentations will focus on entrepreneurship and retail incentives.

The Council also:

• Heard a presentation on the Redevelopment Agency regarding their mission and function.
• Discussed options for the structure of sanitation rates.
• Heard a presentation from Utah County Commissioner Bill Lee on the Utah County Resource Management Plan.
• Heard a presentation on the Pre-Disaster Hazard Mitigation Plan.
• Discussed a request for an amendment regarding street-side yards on corner lots. This will be formally heard at the August 8 Council meeting. (17-0007)A)
• Discussed a request for an amendment regarding patio roofs and their extension into a required setback. This will be formally heard at the August 8 Council meeting. (17-0008OA)
• Discussed a request to allow accessory dwelling units attached to an industrial use in the manufacturing park zone in the Rivergrove Neighborhood. This will be formally heard at the August 8 Council meeting. (17-0002OA)
• Discussed a request for an amendment to increase the amount of signage permitted in a multi-tenant building in specific zones. (17-0001OA)

In the Formal Meeting

American Public Works Association Awards
Ed Rufener, American Public Works Association Utah Chapter President, presented two awards. Greg Beckstrom, Division Director for Public Services for Provo City, was honored as National Public Works Employee of the Year. Provo City also received an award for the west side connector project as Project of the Year.

The Council also:

• Heard a presentation to Sharon Kuttler, Library Services Manager, as June 2017 Employee of the Month.
• Heard a presentation to Ralston Ramkissoon, Recreation Program Coordinator, as July 2017 Employee of the Month.
• Passed a resolution consenting to the appointment of individuals to various boards and commissions.
• Passed a resolution authorizing the mayor to approve an interlocal agreement with Utah County to conduct a vote-by-mail election for the 2017 municipal elections.
• Denied an ordinance amending the zone map classification of property along 690 South and 770 South, east of 1100 West, in the Sunset Neighborhood from one-family residential to one-family residential accessory apartment overlay.
• Passed an ordinance amendment to allow for larger signage in certain areas of the regional shopping center zone in the East Bay Neighborhood. This is for signage for the Provo Towne Centre.
• Denied an ordinance amending the zone map classification of property at 1560 South 1100 West, in the Sunset and Lakewood Neighborhoods, from residential agricultural and agricultural to one-family residential performance development overlay and neighborhood shopping center zones.
• Denied an ordinance amending the zone map classification of a property located on the northeast and southeast corners of the intersection of 900 East and Center Street, in the Foothills and Provost Neighborhoods, from one-family residential and residential conservation to medium density residential.
• Passed an ordinance amendment changing the uses allowed in the residential conservation zone. 
• Continued to the August 29 meeting an ordinance amending the zone map classification of property at 1500 South State Street, in the Spring Creek Neighborhood, from light manufacturing to one-family residential.
• Passed an ordinance amendment to increase wall signage permitted in a multi-tenant building in specific zones.

This is a general summary of the Council's meetings. For a more detailed agenda and minutes, please visit our public documents site: http://publicdocuments.provo.org/sirepub/meet.aspx
Video recordings: Work Meeting and Council Meeting.

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